Alstroemeria plant named ‘Tesmach’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Alstroemeria  plant named ‘Tesmach’, characterized by its compact and uniformly mounding plant habit; sturdy and strong plants; moderately vigorous growth habit; red purple-colored flowers with short pedicels; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Alstroemeria hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘TESMACH’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant, botanically known as Alstroemeria hybrida, grown typically as a potted garden Alstroemeria, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Tesmach’.

The new Alstroemeria plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new potted garden Alstroemeria plants that flower continuously and have attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Alstroemeria plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands in April, 2006, of a proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as code number Pa820, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as code number Pa829, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Alstroemeria plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands in April, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Alstroemeria plant by root divisions in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands since May, 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Alstroemeria plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Tesmach’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Tesmach’ as a new and distinct Alstroemeria plant:

-   -   1. Compact and uniformly mounding plant habit.     -   2. Sturdy and strong plants; moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Red purple-colored flowers with short pedicels.     -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have shorter leaves than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and the female parent         selection differ in flower bud color as plants of the female         patent selection have red-colored flower buds.     -   3. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and the female parent         selection differ in flower color as plants of the female patent         selection have soft red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria are shorter than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male patent selection         have lighter purple-colored flowers.     -   3. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have shorter pedicels than         plants of the male patent selection.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Staprivane’ disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,131. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Alstroemeria differed primarily from plants of ‘Staprivane’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and ‘Staprivane’ differed in         flower bud color as plants of ‘Staprivane’ had purple-colored         flower buds.     -   2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and ‘Staprivane’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘Staprivane’ had purple-colored         flowers.     -   3. Plants of the new Alstroemeria had shorter pedicels than         plants of ‘Staprivane’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Alstroemeria plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Alstroemeria plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Tesmach’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants of the new Alstroemeria grown in 4.6-liter containers during the winter in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 22° C. Plants were 15 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Tesmach’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida             selection identified as code number Pa820, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida             selection identified as code number Pa829, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By root divisions.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About seven             weeks at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About eight             weeks at 16° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fleshy; up to 2 cm in thickness;             white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact and uniformly mounded habit;             freely branching habit, dense and bushy appearance; sturdy             and strong plants; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 27.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 43 cm. -   Stem description:     -   -   Aspect.—Mostly upright to somewhat outwardly spreading.         -   Length.—About 16.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 9 mm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to 144A with a thin dull outer layer, closer to             145A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; below the peduncles in a single             whorl; simple.         -   Length.—About 4.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly ovate to lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Between N137B and 141B.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B to 137C;             venation, close to 137B to 137C. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Close to N137A; venation, close to N137A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Color:             Close to 143A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single cup-shaped flowers arranged in             compound umbels; flowers face mostly outwardly; perianth             segments separate; freely flowering habit with about seven             flowers per inflorescence and about 120 flowers developing             per plant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about seven             weeks after planting; flowering continuous from early April             through the summer in The Netherlands.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; flowers not             persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.9 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm.             Shape: Obovate. Color: Proximal half, close to 145D; distal             half and proximal venation, close to N186C to N186D.         -   Umbel height.—About 12.9 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 14.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 7.7 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 6.9 cm.         -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Six arranged in two whorls, each             whorl with two lateral and one median segments. Size, inner             perianth: Length, lateral segments: About 7 cm. Width,             lateral segments: About 2.5 cm. Length, median segment:             About 5.9 cm. Width, median segment: About 2.5 cm. Size,             outer perianth: Length, all segments: About 6.4 cm. Width,             all segments: About 4.2 cm. Shape, inner perianth, lateral             and median segments: Narrowly obovate. Shape, outer             perianth, lateral and median segments: Obcordate. Apex,             inner perianth, lateral and median segments: Abruptly acute.             Apex, outer perianth, lateral and median segments: Broadly             retuse with a small abruptly acute point. Base, inner and             outer perianths, lateral and median segments: Attenuate or             cuneate. Margin, inner and outer perianths, lateral and             median segments: Entire. Texture, inner and outer perianths,             lateral and median segments: Smooth, glabrous. Color, inner             perianth: When opening, all segments, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 70B; towards the apex, close to N79C;             spots and stripes, close to N77A. Fully opened, lateral             segments, upper surface: Close to 71B; towards the apex,             close to N79C; towards the base, close to 70B; central             blotch, close to 69C to 69D; spots and stripes, close to             N77A; color does not fade with development. Fully opened,             median segment, upper surface: Close to 71B; towards the             apex, close to N79C; towards the base, close to 70B; spots             and stripes, close to N77A; color does not fade with             development. Fully opened, all segments, lower surface:             Close to 70A to 70B; towards the apex, close to N79C;             towards the base, close to 75A; spots and stripes, close to             N77B; color does not fade with development. Color, outer             perianth: When opening, all segments, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 64A; towards the apex, between 59A and             187A; towards the base, close to 64B. Fully opened, all             segments, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 71B to 71C;             towards the apex, close to 187A to 187B; towards the base,             close to 70B; center, close to 64A; color does not fade with             development.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Angle: Erect to about 30° from             vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 143B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.             Filament length: About 2.9 cm. Filament color: Close to 70B             to 70C; towards the base, close to 65B. Anther shape: Oblong             to elliptical. Anther length: About 7 mm. Anther color:             Close to 176B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to             156A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:             About 4 cm. Style length: About 3.6 cm. Style color: Close             to 72D; towards the base, close to 73D. Stigma shape:             Tri-parted; parts, club-shaped, curved. Stigma color: Close             to 72D. Ovary color: Close to 143A tinged with close to             200A.         -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed development has not been observed             on plants of the new Alstroemeria. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Alstroemeria. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind and     rain. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have been observed to tolerate     high temperatures of about 35° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness     Zone 8. 

1. A new and distinct Alstroemeria plant named ‘Tesmach’ as illustrated and described. 